WHATEVER YOU DO, DON'T SIGN UP ONLINE TILL YOU'VE READ THIS
1
On a comparison web site, Performance Direct came up with the cheapest quote but not by much.
Never having heard of them I naturally checked on a company review web site and immediately clicked on the poor reviews. They all indicated that after they had committed online, they then got contacted by phone about various discrepancies on their proposal form. Once the price started to rocket up, naturally, the potential customer wanted to bail out, but was stung with a massive cancellation fee. Either pay the excess or the cancellation fee.... win win situation for them.
So rather than book it online, I rang the telephone number indicated on the comparison web site, and sure enough that's when things got interesting.
I was told I had an accident in 2017 which I had'nt mentioned. No I hadn't. Yes you have they said, mentioning a cars make. No I said, that definitely wasn't me, I have never owned that particular car. Well, he said, it's on our database and hey its only another £6. So far so bad.........
Then, when do you purchase the vehicle? (me) 2019 as I put on the form. (Them) No you haven't you've put 2015. (Me) I couldn't possibly have put 2015 as the computer knew my car details already and that it was brand new in 2019 and so it is physically impossible to change that date down to 2015. No he said , you've put the wrong purchase date on which means I have to charge you more for a newer car. See where this is going?
Keep finding things wrong with my proposal form and what started off as a great price becomes no better or even worse than many other insurance quotes.
So if I had been stupid enough to book online, they presumably would have rung me with these "fictitious findings" - forced me to pay for an increased premium or if I decided to cancel, a stonking cancellation fee.
Bordering on criminal? You decide..........
Reviewed on: 5th April 2021
